There
were stirring and sensational times at Shotton on Friday when
several desperate affrays which savoured of murderous onslaughts
were made upon several individuals. On Thursday night,
notwithstanding the vigilance of the police authorities and many
workmen, the general situation was exceedingly critical when
viewed from the aspect of quietude. Threats, violent language and
menaces were prevalent since Wednesday night, and the police took
all the necessary precautions available to cope with any
emergency. For nearly a fortnight previously a contingent of the
Flintshire Constabulary, under the control of Superintendent
Yarnell Davies, had been housed in improvised
"barracks" near the main entrance to the Steelworks and
their surveillance day and night had been unremitting. With the
exception of a few occasional "alarms" and intrusions
of undesirable visitors, there was nothing calling for special
notification, beyond the fact that the officers were becoming
wearied of the monotonous situation. It was not long, however,
before they were called to "active service."

The
systematic picketing of the Queensferry, Shotton and Connah's
Quay Railway stations on behalf of the "Rollers"
Society did not apparently have the desired effect of stemming
the tide of importation of steel workers from other districts to
fill the vacancies created by the "Rollers" and their
supporters who were "out" on strike against the new
schedule of working. And the strikers engendered bitterness
against the men who were employed, and the fact that the industry
at the works was proceeding well minus their assistance. There is
a large batch of "day workers" in Flint along with men
who had been imported. For the purposes of molesting the workmen,
the strikers, who had been prohibited by railway officials from
assembling on the platforms of Shotton Station, walked to
Queensferry Station on Thursday night where they booked a train,
reaching Shotton prior to five o'clock. As the Flint workmen
commenced to arrive from the Works to journey by this or a later
train, the strikers made a bold front and interfered unduly with
several of them. Some scuffling instantly ensued resolving into
free fights. The police were in force on the platform, but they
were powerless amongst the indiscriminate attacks, and their
energies were directed to removing the strikers from the station.
The combatants who fought on the edge of the platform rolled over
onto the permanent way of the Chester and Holyhead Railway. The
"Black Maria," which is the familiar designation of the
Workmen's train from Flint arrived soon after five o'clock, and
the Flint steelworkers speedily comprehending the position, and
the fact that fellow workers were being mauled, hurried to their
rescue. Fortunately however, some of the strikers who had
received a little punishment were persuaded to quit the station
premises. Stones picked up from the railway track and outside the
station were thrown in various directions at men entering the
station, and when the train for Flint departed it was evident a
serious riot had been averted. This foretaste of an actual
"labour war" inspired the workers with a keen
watchfulness for subsequent events, because irrespective of the
struggle on the platform vicious threats had been uttered.

A
Picket line outside the Works. February 1910.

But
shortly before one o'clock on Friday morning, under cover of the
darkness, a body of ten who were strikers were observed
stealthily making their way along the Sealand embankment of the
river from the neighbourhood of Queensferry. This extraordinary
event was regarded as an attack to be made on the Works or the
men who were employed. They succeeded in approaching near the
confines of the work. The "outpost" arrived before
them, whereupon Mr. J. T. Macpherson, the Member of Parliament
for Preston and the organiser of the Smelters' Union, who was in
the works at the time, instantly stopped the whole of the work.
The workers were greatly exasperated and men of the several
departments seizing cudgels and other weapons gushed out of the
works. It was an exodus executed with such promptitude that it
foreboded disastrous consequences. Hundreds of men were in a few
moments on the embankment, but when the strikers became aware of
the impending results they hastily retreated to Queensferry. At
half-past five of the same morning when the night men terminated
their duties they were armed and prepared for any emergency or
contingency; but all was then quiet, and they returned to their
homes in Connah's Quay and Flint and adjacent towns.

Throughout
the day there were declarations that "blood would be spilt
in the evening." The strikers - at least those who were the
most demonstrative and violently inclined - were conspicuous for
sinister movements; and it was evident that the contending
parties, both workers and strikers, were entertaining a
revengeful attitude. In the course of the day the L & N.W.
Railway Company's officials of the Chester and Holyhead Railway
were communicated with; several of them arrived at Shotton
Station; and in the afternoon Chief-Detective Inspector J. H.
Perkins of the Exchange Station, Manchester, with a number of
assistants, inclusive of railway constables, were in attendance
to protect the interests of the Company. The Flintshire
Constabulary on duty at the works was augmented, and just before
five o'clock there was a small army of constables promenading on
the platforms. Excitement was growing intense as a gang of
strikers put in an appearance at the station gates clamouring for
admission to the platform. Meanwhile men were approaching from
the Great Central Railway Station and shortly a crowd assembled
outside the station and on the path leading to the bottom of King
Edward Street. The strikers and crowd were purposely awaiting the
incoming "Black Maria" conveying the Flint workers for
the night shift. These workers numbering nearly two hundred were
more or less armed for their protection. They carried life
preservers, bludgeons, iron bars and other ugly weapons, whilst
one possessed what is known as a "hanker," which is
used for chipping pieces of metal off the sheets. It was a
formidable and dangerous looking article resembling the
proportions of a large knife or sword.

As
soon as the train was discerned some distance from the station
the strikers surging on to the station gates made desperate
attempts to break through the police cordon. There were loud
cries of "Here she is," meaning the "Black
Maria." Hereabouts the efforts of the whole of the police
force and station officials were sorely tried and taxed to
maintain order and thus prevent a disturbance. But all attempts
at persuasiveness were futile. On alighting from the train the
Flint workers witnessed the demonstrations of the strikers and
then shouldering some of their weapons marched over the covered
bridge to the platform near which the boisterous crowd had
congregated. Some walked along the path toward the Great Central
platform, and there was immediately a brisk skirmish. One man,
said to be a strike leader, or who had taken a prominent part in
previous proceedings, was met and received an exceedingly rough
handling. When this was being administered a complete uproar
arose from the platform. Men who were in an adjoining field below
the Great Central station hurled stones at the Flint workers who,
becoming enraged, wanted to attack the strikers who were at the
station gates. After a stern and stubborn effort the police
induced them to desist, and with "something in the
wind" they departed in small detachments for other spheres.
The police were rendered almost helpless in their duties in
consequence of the repeated small "outbreaks."

There
was, therefore, a brief cessation of hostilities, but it was
apparent the whole neighbourhood was in a perturbed and
tumultuous state, the worst fears being entertained for a renewal
of the strife. These fears were truly verified at half past five
o'clock when the day men were due to leave the works. Hundreds of
men, who according to pre-arrangements, had furnished themselves
with bludgeons of various sizes and descriptions, marched in
military fashion from the works. It was an impressive sight as
they passed over the Railway Bridge and crossing simultaneously,
to enter Jubilee Street. The men were in battle array, and ready
for any emergency that might be contemplated. The strikers
gathering at the station, receiving information that the Flint
workers would detach themselves from the main body of the
"black-begrimed army," began to disperse to avoid a
rear attack. In their attempts to escape effectually they were
frustrated. Viewing the procession from a window at the railway
station, the men seemed to occupy the main thoroughfare, and near
the Station Hotel some of the strikers were attacked in a
merciless fashion. This proceeding, the Flint contingent in
warrior-like manner had practically cut off the retreat or escape
of the "station" strikers, and as they arrived at the
bottom of King Edward Street in their onward march to the
station, stones were hurled at them by some persons. This was a
sufficient signal of attack, and the men of Flint entered into
the fray of retaliation with undaunted fury. The riot was then
complete in every aspect and essential. It transpired that the
strikers had also armed themselves with sticks, and improvised
life preservers manufactured from piping filled with lead; and
some of the men had pockets full of stones and pieces of brick.
The strikers who had been lavishly vaunting their prowess were
caught like rats in a trap, and thereupon they were compelled to
defend themselves, whilst women whose voices had been loud in
denunciation of the workmen as "blacklegs" were now
imploring the officials to allow them entry to the station to
escape from injuries. The fighting zone was principally confined
to the open space at the end of King Edward Street. It was a
"fair and square" pitched battle at close quarters, and
the workmen managing to drive the strikers towards the narrow
passage running parallel with the gable ends of the houses and
the railway, the encounter was of a desperate and stubborn
character.

In
the general melee and mix up the bludgeons were used with
freedom, regardless of consequences, and several of the
combatants amongst the strikers fell stunned and helpless having
sustained wounds on the head and face. The police then effected a
rush from the station to the fighters, from whom they managed to
wrench weapons. Indescribable confusion and consternation existed
several minutes, during which ugly wrought weapons were thrown by
the police over the spiked iron hurdles into the enclosure
dividing the road from the railway. Dispersing a number of men,
who had been injured, from the workmen who were practically
unscathed and anxious to continue their aggressiveness, the
police eventually persuaded many of the latter to proceed to the
station only a few yards distant. Whilst they were accomplishing
this the strikers, aided by women and children, picked up
quantities of stones from the newly macadamised street and
carried out a perfect fusillade in which the workmen again
retaliated, and the wonder is that people were not fatally
injured. The police were now under fire; they were pelted at by
the scattered mob, and were necessarily obliged to perform a
retiring movement. One or two of them were struck by stones and
pieces of brickbats. The Flint contingent were left to put what
appeared to be the coup de grace upon the battle, and they taught
some a salutary lesson not to engage again in threats of violence
or of derailing the "Black Maria." They returned, in
the midst of a weak fire of missiles, cheering to the station
platform where the "Black Maria" was standing ready to
convey them to Flint.

Here
there was breathless excitement amongst the officials and police
to get the workmen aboard the train and when the men were all
ensconced they crouched on to the seats. The train started on its
journey, but as it was passing from the station the strikers,
assisted by women gained a position of vantage nearer the
railway, and poured forth another volley of stones at the
carriages, demolishing windows; but luckily none of the men were
injured. The strikers raised a parting cheer when the train had
advanced some distance, as though they were signalising victory.
The battle was only of about twenty minutes fierce duration; and
within the next hour the whole district was becalmed, beyond
excited groups of men and residents discussing the exciting
incidents. The wounded had beforehand been removed to places of
safety for surgical treatment, and later in the evening a few of
those who had participated in the fight, or riots, were wearing
bandages or plaster covering their injuries.

On
Saturday morning the Flint contingent were determined to
administer the quietus to the strikers who were threatening
vengeance, and they specially journeyed by an early train to
Shotton to afford all possible protection to their fellow workmen
at the mills upon their leaving at 12.30. The men who thus
arrived were fully armed with dangerous weapons, and they walked
quietly desisting in any hostile demonstration, to the interior
of the works."

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